Microsoft pulls out of Family Guy

Last week Seth MacFarlane the creative genius behind the hit show Family Guy and Microsoft announced a rather interesting partnership. In effect Family Guy Presents: Seth and Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show would be sponsored by Microsoft in exchanged for Windows 7 product placement in the show.

Of course this created a roar of sell-out and flack galore for both Seth and Microsoft but it wasn’t that bad PR that caused Microsoft to pull out of the deal. Instead it turns out that Microsoft didn’t want to be associated with jokes about deaf people, the Holocaust, feminine hygiene and incest.

That apparently was a bit too much for Microsoft.

“We initially chose to participate in the Seth and Alex variety show based on the audience composition and creative humor of ‘Family Guy,’ but after reviewing an early version of the variety show it became clear that the content was not a fit with the Windows brand,” said a Microsoft spokesperson. “We continue to have a good partnership with Fox, Seth MacFarlane and Alex Borstein and are working with them in other areas. We continue to believe in the value of brand integrations and partnerships between brands, media companies and talent.”

Source: MacFarlane special loses Microsoft

All the PR spin aside it is interesting to see that Microsoft is taking this stance. Of course because it is Microsoft you can be sure that they’ll get some bad press over pulling out their sponsorship deal with the show.